Geochemical and Advanced Electron Microscopical Characterisations of Artisanal Gold Mining Rejects in Colombia

Segun A. Akinyemi (), Nohora Mercado-Caruso, Bemgba B. Nyakuma and Marcos L. S. Oliveira
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Segun A. Akinyemi: Environmental Remediation and Geopollution Group, Department of Geology, Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti 362103, Ekiti State, Nigeria
Nohora Mercado-Caruso: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universidad de la Costa, CUC, Calle 58 # 55–66, Barranquilla 080002, Atlántico, Colombia
Bemgba B. Nyakuma: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Benue State University, Makurdi 970101, Benue State, Nigeria
Marcos L. S. Oliveira: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universidad de la Costa, CUC, Calle 58 # 55–66, Barranquilla 080002, Atlántico, Colombia

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 20, 1-11

Abstract: Artisanal gold mining causes widespread health problems due to illegal exposure to hazardous inorganic compounds, such as arsenic (As) and mercury (Hg). The sources and prevalence of mining pollution are strongly influenced by topography, stream dynamics, soil type, and land use. In the present study, the potential hazardous elements (PHEs), absorption abilities of nanoparticles (NPs), and ultrafine particles (UFPs) were analysed from clandestine gold mining soils in Colombia. The proportions of PHEs including As, Hg, Cu, Cr, and Pb in carbonates, sulfides, clays, oxides, hydroxides, and sulfates were determined by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), and selected area electron diffraction (SAED)/micro-beam diffraction (MBD)/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The results revealed that the concentrations of As, Hg, and Zn were significantly higher in clay particles when compared to the other soil samples. Furthermore, Al and Fe manifested excellent PHEs sorption abilities in the artisanal gold mining soils. The results presented will be useful for future mitigation measures in the gold mining areas.

Keywords: contaminated soil; population exposure; potentially hazardous elements; ultrafine particles; nanoparticles (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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